CPT 77084 MRI Bone Marrow Perfusion Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 77084: MRI Evaluation of Bone Marrow Blood Supply

CPT code 77084 denotes an MRI-based diagnostic procedure focused on evaluating bone marrow blood supply and perfusion. This imaging assessment supports clinical decision-making for conditions affecting marrow vascularity, including neoplastic, infectious, and metabolic processes. Nationally, accurate coding for perfusion and marrow-specific MRI protocols is important for clinical documentation, utilization tracking, and payment integrity.

Key payers in this overview include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of what the code represents, typical sites where the service is delivered, and which payers commonly cover the imaging service. The publication outlines benchmark themes, coding context, and relevant clinical considerations to help stakeholders understand where this service fits within diagnostic imaging portfolios. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare77084CPTMRIBone MarrowDiagnostic ImagingPerfusionRadiologyOutpatient Imaging

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 77084 describes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedure used to study and evaluate bone marrow blood supply. The service involves using MRI techniques to assess marrow vascularity and perfusion characteristics for clinical evaluation of bone marrow pathology.

Service type: Diagnostic imaging using magnetic resonance to evaluate bone marrow perfusion
Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient imaging center or freestanding MRI facility

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient is a 55-year-old adult referred by an orthopedic oncologist for evaluation of suspected bone marrow involvement from a known primary malignancy or unexplained marrow replacement. The patient presents with persistent bone pain and abnormal laboratory findings (anemia, elevated alkaline phosphatase) and prior radiographs and CT were inconclusive. The ordering provider requests dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging to assess bone marrow vascularity and perfusion characteristics.

The clinical workflow: the patient checks in at an outpatient imaging center or hospital radiology department. A radiology nurse screens for MRI safety and contrast contraindications. The MRI technologist performs the exam using dedicated sequences for bone marrow perfusion with intravenous gadolinium contrast. The supervising radiologist reviews images, interprets perfusion maps and contrast kinetics, and provides a report describing marrow perfusion abnormalities, focal lesions, extent of marrow involvement, and recommendations for correlation with biopsy if indicated. The study may be furnished in an outpatient imaging center, hospital outpatient department, or ambulatory surgery setting depending on scheduling and patient comorbidity.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`26`	Professional component	Use when only the physician interpretation is billed separately from technical services

CPT 77089: Trabecular Bone Score Calculation and Fracture Risk Report

CPT-77081-DUAL-ENERGY-DXA-BONE-MINERAL-DENSITY

CPT 77081: Dual Energy X‑ray Absorptiometry (DXA) for Bone Mineral Density

CPT-77073-LOWER-EXTREMITY-LEG-LENGTH-MEASUREMENT

CPT 77073: Lower Extremity Imaging for Leg-Length Measurement

CPT-77072-SKELETAL-MATURITY-XRAY-HAND-WRIST

CPT 77072: Skeletal Maturity X‑ray (Hand and Wrist)

CPT-77092-TRABECULAR-BONE-SCORE-FRACTURE-RISK-REPORT

CPT 77092: Trabecular Bone Score Fracture Risk Interpretation

CPT-77086-VERTEBRAL-FRACTURE-ASSESSMENT-DXA

CPT 77086: Dual Energy DXA Vertebral Fracture Assessment

CPT-77085-BONE-DENSITY-AXIAL-SKELETON-VERTEBRAL-FRACTURE-ASSESSMENT

CPT 77085: Bone Density of Axial Skeleton with Vertebral Fracture Assessment

CPT-77091-TRABECULAR-BONE-SCORE-FRACTURE-RISK-CALCULATION

CPT 77091: Trabecular Bone Score Fracture Risk Calculation

CPT-77078-CT-BONE-DENSITY-AND-STRUCTURE-STUDY

CPT 77078: CT Study of Bones for Bone Mass and Density Assessment

CPT-77074-SKELETAL-RADIOGRAPHIC-SERIES-EVALUATION-OF-METASTATIC-DISEASE

CPT 77074: Skeletal Radiographic Series to Evaluate Bone Disease

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Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
2080P0206X	Diagnostic Radiology	Most common specialty performing MRI bone marrow perfusion and interpretation
207K00000X	Orthopedic Surgery	May order and manage patients with musculoskeletal marrow pathology
207L00000X	Hematology	Often involved in diagnostic work-up for marrow disease and coordinating biopsy
2084P0800X	Interventional Radiology	Performs image-guided biopsies when tissue sampling is needed
207RH0000X	Radiation Oncology	May use perfusion data for planning in marrow-involving malignancies

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
Data not available in the input.	Data not available in the input.	Data not available in the input.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`70553`	Magnetic resonance imaging, brain (or other body region), with and without contrast; advanced imaging	Often performed when assessing metastatic disease involving both bone marrow and adjacent soft tissues or CNS staging
`72195`	Magnetic resonance imaging, pelvis, without contrast, followed by with contrast, including MRA when performed	Performed for pelvic bone marrow evaluation or to assess marrow involvement in pelvic bones
`73718`	Magnetic resonance, any joint of lower extremity (e.g., hip), without and with contrast, including perfusion when indicated	Used for targeted evaluation of marrow perfusion in a specific joint region
`77046`	Magnetic resonance imaging guidance for needle placement (e.g., for biopsy)	Used when MRI guidance is employed to obtain a bone marrow biopsy after perfusion study identifies target lesion
`72197`	MRI pelvis with and without contrast, including dynamic sequences	Performed when dynamic contrast-enhanced evaluation of pelvic marrow is required
`96372`	Therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic injection; subcutaneous or intramuscular	Occasionally billed for contrast injection administration in certain outpatient settings

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